Goodbye, Noble

Today, the kids and I attended a funeral for the four-year-old son of a friend of ours. We are not in the same church, we live in different cities, and my girls no longer take ballet from her, so we don't see them very often anymore. But they are precious to us. And their four-year-old son Noble's two-year old transplanted heart finally succumbed to his body's rejection last week. They are grieving. We are grieving. And yet this funeral was unbelievable.

Though it was stylistically very different from baby Sully's last month, it was very similar in its amazing power to glorify and praise the Lord in the midst of the pain. As we sang the Matt Redmond song, "Blessed Be the Name," I looked up to see Tiffanee... face tear-stained but turned upward, like the hands she'd raised in praise and surrender, literally bouncing in worshipful praise. I am undone. There is such depth of faith and trust and hope.

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Good bye, little Noble Samuel Anthony. We will meet you again one day in heaven, and there will be so much to tell you!